Vandals have struck at Westbury’s only community garden, causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage.
At Victoria Garden in the town centre, vandals have damaged plants, smashed a stone statue, burned names into a wooden bench and left piles of rubbish.
The garden, near All Saints churchyard, is managed by a group of local volunteers who give up time at the weekends to weed, plant and maintain the picturesque garden which has been open every day through the summer.
Julian Phelps, chairman of the Friends of Victoria Garden, said “It is a great shame because volunteers have worked long and hard to restore this garden and to make it available for everyone to enjoy its peace and quiet,” he told White Horse News.
“As well as providing a centre of quiet and solace just minutes from the town centre, the garden has already proved a popular venue for teas and musical events.
“Of course we don’t mind youngsters using it but they should respect it, not damage it – their actions have just spoiled the garden for everyone.”
Volunteers are now considering how best to repair the damage, which includes part of a stone circle of gargoyles, created as a community art project, which forms a central feature in the garden.
Victoria Garden was once the mill pond for nearby Town Mill which was burned down in 1862. Now owned by Wiltshire Council, it is managed by the Friends of Victoria Garden which was formed in 2015.
